1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to the connection of medical sensors to instruments responsive to signals from the sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Energy is often transmitted through or reflected from a medium to determine characteristics of the medium. For example, in the medical field, instead of extracting material from a patient's body for testing, light, heat or sound may be generated and transmitted. Detection of the transmitted signal allows determination of information about the material through which the signal has passed. For example, during surgery, the body's available supply of oxygen, or the blood oxygen saturation, is monitored. Measurements such as these are often performed by measuring the ratio of incident to transmitted (or reflected) light through a portion of the body, for example a digit such as a finger, or an earlobe, or a forehead. Durable and disposable sensors are often used for such physiological measurements. These sensors have connectors which allow detachment from the instrument or cable from the instrument.